N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-218.75

Current through Session Law 2024-53

Section 115C-218.75 - General operating requirements

(a) Health and Safety Standards. - A charter school shall meet the same health and safety requirements required of a local school administrative unit. The Department of Public Instruction shall ensure that charter schools provide parents and guardians with information about meningococcal meningitis and influenza and their vaccines at the beginning of every school year. This information shall include the causes, symptoms, and how meningococcal meningitis and influenza are spread and the places where parents and guardians may obtain additional information and vaccinations for their children.

The Department of Public Instruction shall also ensure that charter schools provide parents and guardians with information about cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia, human papillomavirus, and the vaccines available to prevent these diseases. This information shall be provided at the beginning of the school year to parents of children entering grades five through 12. This information shall include the causes and symptoms of these diseases, how they are transmitted, how they may be prevented by vaccination, including the benefits and possible side effects of vaccination, and the places where parents and guardians may obtain additional information and vaccinations for their children.

The Department of Public Instruction shall also ensure that charter schools provide students in grades seven through 12 with information annually on the preventable risks for preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies, including induced abortion, smoking, alcohol consumption, the use of illicit drugs, and inadequate prenatal care.

The Department of Public Instruction shall also ensure that charter schools provide students in grades nine through 12 with information annually on the manner in which a parent may lawfully abandon a newborn baby with a responsible person, in accordance with Article 5A of Chapter 7B of the General Statutes.

The Department of Public Instruction shall also ensure that the guidelines for individual diabetes care plans adopted by the State Board of Education under G.S. 115C-12(31) are implemented in charter schools in which students with diabetes are enrolled and that charter schools otherwise comply with G.S. 115C-375.3.

The Department of Public Instruction shall ensure that charter schools comply with G.S. 115C-375.2A. The board of directors of a charter school shall provide the school with a supply of emergency epinephrine auto-injectors necessary to meet the requirements of G.S. 115C-375.2A.

(b) School Risk Management Plan. - Each charter school, in coordination with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies, is encouraged to adopt a School Risk Management Plan (SRMP) relating to incidents of school violence. In constructing and maintaining these plans, charter schools may utilize the School Risk and Response Management System (SRRMS) established pursuant to G.S. 115C-105.49A. These plans are not considered a public record as the term "public record" is defined under G.S. 132-1 and are not subject to inspection and examination under G.S. 132-6.

Charter schools are encouraged to provide schematic diagrams and keys to the main entrance of school facilities to local law enforcement agencies, in addition to implementing G.S. 115C-105.52.

(c) Policy Against Bullying. - A charter school is encouraged to adopt a policy against bullying or harassing behavior, including cyber bullying, that is consistent with the provisions of Article 29C of this Chapter. If a charter school adopts a policy to prohibit bullying and harassing behavior, the charter school shall, at the beginning of each school year, provide the policy to staff, students, and parents as defined in G.S. 115C-390.1(b)(8).

(d) School Safety Exercises. - At least once a year, a charter school is encouraged to hold a full school-wide lockdown exercise with local law enforcement and emergency management agencies that are part of the charter school's SRMP.

(e) School Safety Information Provided to Division of Emergency Management. - A charter school is encouraged to provide the following:

(i) schematic diagrams, including digital schematic diagrams, and

(ii) emergency response information requested by the Division for the SRMP. The schematic diagrams and emergency response information are not considered public records as the term "public record" is defined under G.S. 132-1 and are not subject to inspection and examination under G.S. 132-6.

(e1) Anonymous Tip Line. - A charter school shall develop and operate an anonymous tip line in accordance with G.S. 115C-105.51.

(e2) Information About Child Abuse and Neglect. - A charter school shall implement the rule addressing student awareness of child abuse and neglect, including sexual abuse, adopted by the State Board of Education under G.S. 115C-12(47).

(f) Access for Youth Groups. - Charter schools are encouraged to facilitate access for students to participate in activities provided by any youth group listed in Title 36 of the United States Code as a patriotic society, such as the Boy Scouts of America, and its affiliated North Carolina groups and councils, and the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, and its affiliated North Carolina groups and councils. Student participation in any activities offered by these organizations shall not interfere with instructional time during the school day for the purposes of encouraging civic education.

(g) Child Sexual Abuse and Sex Trafficking Training Program. - A charter school shall adopt and implement a child sexual abuse and sex trafficking training program in accordance with G.S. 115C-375.20.

(h) School-Based Mental Health Plan Required. - A charter school shall adopt a school-based mental health plan, including a mental health training program and suicide risk referral protocol, in accordance with G.S. 115C-376.5.

(i) A charter school shall annually report the information required by G.S. 115C-12(48) to the State Board of Education, the Senate Appropriations Committee on Education/Higher Education, and the House Appropriations Committee on Education no later than September 15.

(j) A charter school shall annually update information to the digital learning dashboard, as required by G.S. 115C-102.9.

(k) Cultural Expression at Graduation Ceremonies. - A charter school shall comply with G.S. 115C-407.40at all graduation ceremonies.

(k)(Effective beginning with the 2024-2025 school year) Career Development Plans. - A charter school is encouraged to adopt a policy to require all middle and high school students to complete a career development plan in accordance with G.S. 115C-158.10.

(n) Unpaid Meal Debt. - If a charter school participates in the school nutrition program, the charter school may not impose administrative penalties on a student for unpaid school meal debt in accordance with G.S. 115C-264(d).

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-218.75

Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 134,s. 7.60-b, eff. 7/1/2023.

Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 134,s. 7.13-c, eff. 7/1/2023, effective beginning with the 2024-2025 school year..

Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 14, s. 6.2-i, eff. 10/1/2023.

Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 109,s. 1-b, eff. 8/16/2023, applicable beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 78,s. 5-c, eff. 7/7/2023, applicable beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.

Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 78,s. 5-b, eff. 7/7/2023, applicable beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.

Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 63,s. 5-c, eff. 6/27/2023, applicable beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

Amended by 2023 N.C. Sess. Laws 43, s. 3-a, eff. 6/14/2023.

Amended by 2021 N.C. Sess. Laws 180, s. 7.61-c, eff. 11/18/2021, and applicable beginning with the report due January 15, 2022, pursuant to G.S. 115C-102.9(b).

Amended by 2021 N.C. Sess. Laws 180, s. 7.9-d, eff. 7/1/2021.

Amended by 2021 N.C. Sess. Laws 132, s. 6-c, eff. 9/1/2021, op. beginning with the 2021-2022 school year.

Amended by 2021 N.C. Sess. Laws 88, s. 11, eff. 7/22/2021.

Amended by 2020 N.C. Sess. Laws 7, s. 1-c, eff. 6/8/2020.

Amended by 2019 N.C. Sess. Laws 245, s. 4.4-b, eff. 12/1/2019.

Amended by 2018 N.C. Sess. Laws 5, s. 7.26-c, eff. 7/1/2019.

Amended by 2015 N.C. Sess. Laws 241, s. 8.26-h, eff. 7/1/2015.

Amended by 2015 N.C. Sess. Laws 249, s. 3, eff. 9/25/2015.

Amended by 2014 N.C. Sess. Laws 101, s. 7, eff. 8/6/2014.

Amended by 2014 N.C. Sess. Laws 100, s. 8.23-b, eff. 11/1/2014.

Amended by 2014 N.C. Sess. Laws 100, s. 8.32-b, s. 8.34-a, eff. 7/1/2014.

Amended by 2013 N.C. Sess. Laws 360, s. 9.7-q, eff. 6/30/2018( s. 9.7-q was repealed by 2017 N.C. Sess. Laws 157, s. 2-n).

Amended by 2013 N.C. Sess. Laws 360, s. 8.43-a, eff. 7/1/2013.

Amended by 2013 N.C. Sess. Laws 359, s. 1, eff. 7/26/2013.

Amended by 2013 N.C. Sess. Laws 355, s. 1-f, eff. 7/25/2013.

Amended by 2013 N.C. Sess. Laws 307, s. 1.1, eff. 7/18/2013.

Amended by 2012 N.C. Sess. Laws 142, s. 7A.11.(b), eff. 7/2/2012 and applicable beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, as added by 2012 N.C. Sess. Laws 145, s. 2.5, eff. 7/1/2012.

Amended by 2012 N.C. Sess. Laws 142, s. 7A.1-f, s. 7A.3-c, eff. 7/2/2012.

Amended by 2012 N.C. Sess. Laws 179, s. 1-c, eff. 7/12/2012.

Amended by 2011 N.C. Sess. Laws 282, s. 9, eff. 6/23/2011.

Amended by 2011 N.C. Sess. Laws 164, s. 4, eff. 7/1/2011.

Amended by 2011 N.C. Sess. Laws 145, s. 7.29-b, eff. 7/1/2011.

Amended by 2010 N.C. Sess. Laws 10, s. 2.(a), eff. 6/23/2010.

Amended by 2009 N.C. Sess. Laws 563, s. 2, eff. 8/28/2009.

Amended by 2009 N.C. Sess. Laws 239, s. 1, eff. 6/30/2009.

Amended by 2007 N.C. Sess. Laws 345, s. 12, eff. 7/1/2008.

Amended by 2007 N.C. Sess. Laws 323, s. 28.22A.(o), eff. 7/1/2008.

Amended by 2007 N.C. Sess. Laws 126, s. 2, eff. 6/27/2007, and applicable beginning with the 2008-2009 school year.

Amended by 2007 N.C. Sess. Laws 59, s. 2, eff. 7/1/2007.

Amended by 2006 N.C. Sess. Laws 137, s. 2, eff. 7/19/2006.

Amended by 2006 N.C. Sess. Laws 69, s. 3.(e), eff. 7/10/2006.

Amended by 2004 N.C. Sess. Laws 0203, s. 45.(b), eff. 8/17/2004.

Amended by 2004 N.C. Sess. Laws 0118, s. 3, eff. 7/1/2004.

Amended by 2001 - 462, s. 1, eff. 11/16/2001.

1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 731, s. 2; 1997-430, s. 5; 1997-443, s. 8.19; 1997-456, s. 55.4; 1998-212, s. 9.14A(a); 1999-243, s. 8.

See 2011 N.C. Sess. Laws 93, s. 2-a, for applicability of (d)(1).

See 2010 N.C. Sess. Laws 10, s. 2.(b).